Auckland City will double their prize money to $US 1 million if they can get past J-League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their Fifa Club World Cup play-off match in Yokohama tonight.
Coach Ramon Tribulietx is known for his attention to detail and
Auckland, who bowed out at the first hurdle last year when losing 2-0 to
J-League outfit Kashiwa Reysol, have put a lot of work into learning
about Hiroshima.
The Oceania club champions are guaranteed at least $500,000 from the
$16.5 million prize pool at the seven-team tournament, but victory in
their play-off would double that figure and set-up a quarterfinal with
Egypt's African club champions Al-Ahly on Sunday.
It's a tall order but City are hopeful of a repeat of 2009 in the
United Arab Emirates, where they toppled hosts Al-Ahli at the playoff
stage, lost the quarterfinal to Concacaf champions Atlante and then beat
African champs TP Mazembe to finish fifth.
They'll be getting plenty of support from New Zealand too, with the
winnings to be divvied up between the club (roughly 25 per cent), New
Zealand Football and the other seven national league sides.
Auckland are, officially, an amateur team, while other teams
competing this week include European champions Chelsea and Corinthians,
the South American title holders.
"We've watched a lot of games, we have a clear impression of what is
going to happen in and out of possession and at set pieces," he said.
"Obviously Hiroshima are a very good team, technically very good and
they play in a professional league so we are going to be the underdogs,
we're aware of that.
"But football is a funny sport and we are going to be well prepared,
we'll try our best and hopefully at least we'll compete and show a good
image of Auckland City."
